Vietamese Pangasius Exports to Mexico on the Up

VIET NAM - Viet Nam pangasius exports to Mexico increased in 2014 to a value of around $115.24 million, up 17.1 per cent year on year.

Mexico is listed in the top eight Vietnamese pangasius importing markets. Frozen pangasius fillets exports to Mexico reported positive growth but the price was not higher than that from 2013, reports VASEP.

Among frozen whitefish fillets, pangasius was the most imported item, followed by tilapia and Alaska pollock. Price of pangasius was relatively lower than tilapia.

Mexico has expanded and developed tilapia farming in the recent years. The country focuses on achieving international certifications for tilapia rearing.

Mexico had its first tilapia farm certified best aquaculture practices (BAP) by Global Aquaculture Alliance (GAA).

In mid July 2014, Mexico National Service for Agro-Alimentary Public Health (SENASICA), under Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food (SAGARPA) announced that from 29 July 2014, all seafoods (farmed and captured) imported into this country must comply with new quarantine regulations of SENASICA.

Mexico is the one of the biggest economies in Latin America. More than a half (about 55 per cent) of imports into this market are from Americas, while Asian countries account more than 30 per cent.

Many economic organizations expect that Mexico will surpass Brazil to become the largest economy in Latin America in the next decade. This will be an advantage to boost exports of pangasius and other seafoods into this market in the near future.